Someone should start designing a new type of parking meter now; this way it will be in production to coincide with the rapid expansion of electrics and plug-in hybrids to hit the market over the next few years.

You pull into a metered parking spot. You pull out your credit card and swipe to pay for your parking fee. At the same time, you select that you want a 110-volt charge for the duration of your park. You plug your car in, and go about your business... when you return, you unplug your car and your account is charged a set fee for the amount of electricity your car sucked up while parked.

Cities make more revenue by charging twice what they pay for the electricity.

Car drivers get a convenient short duration recharge.

Win-win.

It would be nicer if the parking fee was waived, provided your car used more than a certain amount of electricity. The municipality gets the same amount of money, and the users can feel like they're getting a deal. ;)